Working on an IFR rating is a lot of fun. You fly in just about any whether that's above IFR minimums (we were weathered out only once during a blizzard), and get to spend some time actually in the clouds. That's pretty cool.
The most difficult part of the rating, of course, is perfecting the instrument approaches. It's reasonably easy to maintain a fixed altitude and heading when that's all you need to worry about. But when you add heading and altitude from Air Traffic Control (ATC), looking up info on the approach you're going to fly, and the instructor's attempts to distract you, it's a handful.
Check out this call-up from ATC. This is going to happen just as you're approaching the inbound course for the ILS-9-Right into Minneapolis/Flying Cloud airport.
Cessna-One-Seven-Two-Seven-Tango, turn right heading zero-six-zero. Maintain two thousand, six hundred until established on a published portion of the approach. Cleared for the ILS-Nine-Right.
Remember -- this is over the radio, not written down. Don't look back, but repeat your clearance back to ATC:
Zero-six-zero. Two-point-six until established. Cleared ILS-Nine- Right. Two-Seven-Tango.
Only problem -- about the time you finish repeating all that, there's a good chance that you just blew through the approach course.
I'm thoroughly enjoying myself and recommend an instrument rating to all pilots.
